Connected food preparation system and method of use

Abstract

A connected oven, including a set of in-cavity sensors and a processor configured to automatically identify foodstuff within the cooking cavity, based on the sensor measurements; and automatically operate the heating element based on the foodstuff identity.

We claim: 
     
       1. A system, comprising:
 a cooking body defining a cooking cavity, the cooking body comprising a top and a bottom; 
 an optical sensor mounted proximal to the top, wherein the optical sensor is directed toward the cooking cavity; 
 a detection module configured to automatically detect foodstuff insertion into the cooking body based on an image recorded by the optical sensor; 
 an identification module, in communication with the optical sensor, wherein the identification module is configured to automatically determine a probability for foodstuff within the cooking cavity for each of a plurality of candidate classifications based on the image and select the candidate classification with the highest probability as a classification for the foodstuff; 
 a heating element in thermal contact with the cooking cavity; and 
 a processing system, in communication with the identification module, that is configured to determine a count of the foodstuff based on the image and automatically operate the heating element according to cooking instructions determined based on the count of the foodstuff. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a remote computing system comprising the identification module, wherein the remote computing system is configured to determine the cooking instructions. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooking instructions are determined based on a meal plan. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooking instructions comprise a heating profile for the foodstuff. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a user interface communicably connected to the processing system, wherein the user interface is configured to receive user confirmation of the classification before heating element operation. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the user interface comprises a touchscreen mounted to the cooking body. 
     
     
       7. A method, comprising:
 determining cooking instructions for a cooking cavity, wherein the cooking instructions are determined by a computing system remote from the cooking cavity; 
 sampling an image of the cooking cavity; 
 detecting a foodstuff insertion event based on the image, wherein the foodstuff insertion event is determined by a local processing system mounted to the cooking cavity; and 
 operating the cooking cavity according to the cooking instructions in response to detecting the foodstuff insertion event. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the cooking instructions are determined based on a meal plan. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 determining a plurality of cooking instructions for a plurality of foodstuff classes based on the meal plan, wherein the plurality of cooking instruction sets comprise the cooking instructions; 
 determining a classification for the foodstuff based on the image; and 
 selecting the cooking instructions associated with the classification from the plurality cooking instructions. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising automatically preheating the cooking cavity according to preheat instructions associated with the meal plan, prior to foodstuff insertion event detection. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising: determining a count of the foodstuff based on the image, wherein the cooking instructions are determined based on the count of the foodstuff. 
     
     
       12. A method, comprising:
 sampling an image of a cooking cavity; 
 detecting a foodstuff insertion event based on the image; 
 determining a count of the foodstuff based on the image; 
 determining a probability for the foodstuff for each of a plurality of candidate classifications based on the image; 
 selecting the candidate classification with the highest probability as a classification for the foodstuff; 
 determining cooking instructions for the cooking cavity, wherein the cooking instructions are determined based on the count of the foodstuff; and 
 operating the cooking cavity according to the cooking instructions in response to detecting the foodstuff insertion event. 
 
     
     
       13. A method, comprising:
 sampling an image of a cooking cavity; 
 detecting a foodstuff insertion event based on the image; 
 determining a classification for the foodstuff, wherein determining the classification for the foodstuff comprises receiving the classification from a user; 
 determining a count of the foodstuff based on the image; 
 determining cooking instructions for the cooking cavity, wherein the cooking instructions are determined based on the count of the foodstuff; and 
 operating the cooking cavity according to the cooking instructions in response to detecting the foodstuff insertion event. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising training an identification module based on the user identified classification, wherein the identification module determines the classification for the foodstuff. 
     
     
       15. A method, comprising:
 determining cooking instructions for a cooking cavity; 
 sampling an image of the cooking cavity; 
 detecting a foodstuff insertion event based on the image; 
 operating the cooking cavity according to the cooking instructions in response to detecting the foodstuff insertion event; 
 tracking a cooking status of the foodstuff; and 
 changing future cooking instructions within the cooking instructions based on the cooking status of the foodstuff. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the cooking instructions are determined by a computing system. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the computing system is remote from the cooking cavity. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the foodstuff insertion event is determined by a local processing system mounted to the cooking cavity.